Welcome To Riverside Crime
Living in Riverside – and loving it – means digging the good, the bad and the ugly. This Riverside Crime blog, within a blog, attempts to bring in some of that bad and ugly into the good and the beautiful in the hopes of providing a voice for those affected by our local crime and speaking out when we can in the hopes of finding closure and solving problems if possible. If you have been affected by crime within these city boundaries or know someone who you can lend a voice to, let us know. We care.
riversideliving@gmail.com
links for 2010-03-04
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Eight performances have been canceled and one was rescheduled in the first three months of the inaugural season at Riverside's Fox Performing Arts Center.
Most recently, three of eight planned performances of "Jesus Christ Superstar" were canceled. The show was to run March 31 through April 4 at the Fox. Ticketmaster's Web site now lists the Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday evening shows as canceled.
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Riverside County authorities are investigating whether the sex offender suspected of killing a 17-year-old San Diego County girl might have tried to kidnap a girl in Lake Elsinore in October.
John Albert Gardner III, a resident of the unincorporated Lakeland Village neighborhood near Lake Elsinore, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murdering Chelsea King, a Poway High School senior who disappeared last week after going for a run in a wilderness park in northeastern San Diego.
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A young man was killed Wednesday night when he walked or ran in front of a freight train in Riverside.
links for 2010-03-01
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San Bernardino County ranked fifth in the nation for having the most vehicles stolen in 2009, with car thieves taking more Honda Accords and Civics than any other make or model, according to a report released last month by LoJack.
LoJack Corp., a company that deals in stolen vehicle recovery technology, ranked Los Angeles as the top county in the nation for vehicle thefts and recoveries. Riverside County came in at No. 7.
LoJack Releases Auto Theft Recovery Report
February 18th – Lojack released its first Auto Theft Recovery Report which showed the results from 2009 LoJack recoveries.
Some statistics from the report:
Top Makes and Models Stolen and Recovered:
- Honda Civic
- Honda Accord
- Toyota Camry
- Acura Integra
- Cadillac Escalade
- Toyota Corolla
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Nissan Altima
- Chevrolet Silverado
- Ford F-250 series
States with the Most Stolen and Recovered Vehicles:
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New York
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Arizona
- Maryland
- Nevada
- Georgia
According to a Daily Bulletin article, San Bernardino County ranked 5th in the nation for having the most vehicles stolen in 2009. Riverside County was 7th, while Los Angeles County was ranked 1st.
Arrest Made in Chelsea King Disappearance; Search for Teen Continues
17 year old Poway High School student Chelsea King was reported missing last Thursday when she did not return from school. Her car was found parked near Rancho Bernardo/Lake Hodges where she often ran. Searchers combed the area and lake Friday and Saturday to no avail. Local investigators worked with San Diego police to determine whether her disappearance was connected to an assault reported by a woman last December in the same area.
An arrest was made Sunday afternoon after evidence was discovered that linked John Albert Gardner to Chelsea’s disappearance. Gardner, a Lake Elsinore resident, is a registered sex offender with a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 years. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department did not reveal what the evidence was. The search is still underway to find Chelsea and family and neighbors continue to hope for her return.
Chelsea is white, 5 feet 5 inches and 115 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.
She is due to graduate from Poway High School this spring, and is a member of the San Diego Youth Symphony and a straight-A student, and has served as a peer counselor at the school.
Depuites asked anyone with information on the girl’s whereabouts to call the sheriff’s department at (858) 565-5200.
links for 2010-02-28
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A former Riverside police officer faces sentencing next month after pleading guilty to seven felonies related to two armed robberies of auto shops in Moreno Valley and Riverside.
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Riverside police ticketed 31 people during a Thursday morning operation aimed at drivers who fail to yield for pedestrians in public crosswalks.
Decoy pedestrians were used to cross the intersection of 11th and Market streets as motorcycle officers observed whether drivers came to a complete stop, as required by law. Additionally, several actual pedestrians were also faced with drivers who did not stop, police said.
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Dangerous river conditions are not isolated to the Santa Ana River, where signs are posted warning people to be cautious of sinkholes and bogs of soft soil after rains, Riverside County Senior Park Ranger John Vint said.
"You can find bogs just about anywhere after a heavy rain. If the water has nowhere to go, it sits there for quite a while," Vint said.
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Dude, where's my car?
On Monday morning of his last week as Riverside police chief, Russ Leach got up, "took my shower, got dressed to go to work and looked for my car. It wasn't there."
links for 2010-02-27
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Parked in the driveway of his Casa Blanca home, Raymond Howard's new big rig was a symbol of hope.
The 30-year-old purchased the truck last week to start a family business. Its temporary registration tag remained in the front windshield.
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A man was jailed Friday after his young daughters were found beaten, bound and gagged in a house near Rubidoux, deputies said.
Jeremiah Scott, 23, was booked into Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of attempted murder, torture and child abuse, and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.
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A 51-year-old Lake Elsinore pastor accused of taking photos up the skirts of women while they shopped at southwest Riverside County department stores pleaded guilty Thursday.
Pirated CDs and DVDs prompt arrest of Riverside man – PE.com – Daily News Digest
A Riverside man was arrested this week when he negotiated with an undercover investigator to sell a pirated copy of Windows 7. The investigation began this weekend when officers heard that pirated software, games and movies were being sold in Rubidoux. Investigators confirmed that the items were counterfeit and included Windows 7, Office 7, Mac 10.4, Encyclopedia Brittanica, games and movies.
Riverside Man Slain in A.M.
A man was found lying in the road this morning around 6:50 am near Madison and Evans, apparently a shooting victim. His wife identified him as Raymond Howard, a trucker on his daily trip to buy a cup of coffee. Police have not released any details yet.
What The Scanner Said Tonight: 2.20.10
After watching Cops and America’s Most Wanted, we now turn to Scan Riverside to see what’s happening on our cold streets tonight:
- Oxygen tank stolen by males in a green Jetta. Maybe they thought it was something else? 10:00 pm
- Female with uncontrollable shaking after taking pain medication at Banbury/x Diana. 10:10 pm
- A burgundy 2 door Thunderbird with tinted windows – aww damn missed that one but it sounded like it was going to be a red hot mess. Burgundy hot mess. 11:00 pm
- 5150 at Rite Aid on Van Buren 11:10 pm
- RP states there is a man on the ground with another man straddling him in front of the Bank of America on Arlington 11:40 pm.
- Complaints about a loud party with a bounce house in the front yard. Still going strong at midnight! Thats gangsta!
Have You Seen This Man? Temecula Bank Robber
Police are asking for the public’s help in ID’ing a man suspected of committing at least 5 armed bank robberies in the past couple of years.
Anyone with information about the robber’s identity or location should call Inspector Jesse Martinez at 951-696-3000.
Local High Profile and Cold Case Links
Here are some links to high profile or cold cases for Riverside and San Bernardino Counties:
Riverside County Sheriff High Profile Cases
San Bernardino County Cold Cases (sbsun.com)
San Bernardino County Police Cold Murder Cases
It really is heartbreaking to see that many unsolved murders and to think of the families who have been left with no answers.
Cold Cases: It’s Always The DNA That Gets You
Jannette Ortiz of Riverside was arrested today, by Riverside County cold case investigators, for an eight year old murder. In 2002, her cousin Fernando Martinez was shot and murdered and found in Woodcrest orange groves. Ortiz had been suspected of participating in the murder, along with her then boyfriend Edwin Gonzales, but there had never been the evidence to prove it. Grant funded DNA testing by a private lab in Texas made the connection for the cold case team. The Sheriff’s Department received a $500,000 grant that will cover DNA testing costs for cold case investigations. This is the first case solved as a result of the DNA testing grant.
Riverside County Cold Case Facts:
- As of a November 2009 Pe.com story, the the Cold Case Unit had reviewed 669 cases, 220 of which were identified as cold cases.
- 73 have DNA evidence that could be submitted for testing, Brown said. The oldest case so far with DNA evidence dates to 1973.
- Since 2007, the Cold Case Unit has been poring over the almost 2,000 homicide cases the department handled from 1928 to 2000.
San Bernardino County has their own Cold Case unit and has recently produced their 2nd edition of “Cold Case Playing Cards”. The cards are sold in jails and are hoped to generate interest and conversation about unsolved cases. Actually, one of the cases – from the 4 of spades card, was solved as a result. See the link above for the article on the cards and an example.
Drunk at Kmart.. Again?
Can’t get enough of ScanRiverside. It’s just rich with information.
- 2:32 pm – PD at Kmart on Iowa/x Mass. Shoplifter in custody, drank half a bottle of liquor. I wonder what kind it was.
PoliceGate 2010: Traffic Collision Report
This came out a few days ago but I didn’t actually take a look at it until today. Nothing to see here. Move along.
And the Scanner Says: 2.18.10
Shockwave on Google Chrome crashes constantly while I listen to Scan Riverside so I am turning to IE 8 now to get my nightly Scanner fix. </geek talk>
- Welfare check at Mission Inn/x Pine. Male subject may be despondent/suicidal due to a recent divorce
- Male dressed in black, approximately late 30’s, causing a ruckus at CVS on Magnolia and refusing to leave. At first I thought it was the CVS at Market and 3rd and was not surprised. That CVS can be a little (or a lot) crazy. But it may have been the one on Magnolia and Adams. If you don’t believe me about the madness at the Market/3rd Street CVS, check out this video:
- Traffic stop at Arlington and Redlands
- Bike stop at Victoria and 11th
- Subject on bike with a gun at Lake Alice on University. Subject described as young male, dressed in blue hoodie. – 1:00 am.
The Story Continues: No Calls to Riverside Officials after Chief’s Crash
According to policy, a City Manager or another top official should have received notification about the Chief’s (or any high profile official) car crash as soon as it was possible. However no one from the PD made any calls, but there was an anonymous call to City Hall per Mayor Loveridge. Per PE.com:
Assistant City Manager Tom De Santis said that normally, the chief or another top officer would call him in an incident involving a high-profile official.
But that didn’t happen when Leach was stopped, nor did anyone call City Manager Brad Hudson, City Attorney Greg Priamos or Councilman Steve Adams, De Santis said.
Instead, after crashing his Chrysler 300 into a fire hydrant and light pole and blew two tires, Mr. Leach continued driving a few more miles before being pulled over and gave him a safe and secure ride home. Sans Breathalyzer, sobriety test or any of that nonsense. The officers report noted that he had been drinking, but with those unnamed pharmaceuticals, its hard to say what kind of cocktail had been brewing in his digestive system.
At least the CHP is investigating it now. Hopefully it isn’t too late to get the facts in order to make a prudential judgement.
Suicidal Pilot Has Inland Connections
A suicidal man who set fire to his home, stole a plane and crashed into the IRS building in Austin, TX this morning was an Inland area resident/business owner in the 80’s and 90’s. The pilot Joseph Stack owned two businesses, including one in Corona. He was also married at one time to a Hemet woman.
Joseph Stack posted a 36 paragraph missive about his reasons for his actions, blaming the economy and government, amongst other issues, written in the rambling way suicides sometimes do to their guaranteed audience. (Not making a judgement – just an observation).
Vodpod videos no longer available.BUSY NIGHT: Overheard on the Riverside City Scanner 2.17.10
What’s going on in your city tonight? Check out Scan Riverside:
- CHP en route to the 91/Central overpass. Subjects dropping rocks from the overpass. Several callers reported the problem.
- Subject on the ground at the El Pollo Loco at La Sierra. Weapons nearby. Officers en route.
- Alarm going off at Hertz Rental on La Cadena is going off. Elderly RPs keep calling in to complain about the noise.
- 2 black males wearing all black suspected in possibly killing victims at 1230 Blaine. RP calling from Gran Marc apartments on Iowa. Weapon appears to be a silver revolver. Both victims are located at the Gran Marc apartments in an apartment but suspect took the keys to the apartment and fled. Update: Eye injury to assault victim at Gran Marc apartments.
- Injury at Mull Street/x Tyler. RP called in stating that the neighbor came over and had them call 911 to report an injury or illness. The RP reports that the neighbors have been drinking all day but had no further information.
- Arco at Central Suspect possibly DOA in a Nissan Centra.
- Possible break in at a recovery/rehab place at 4295 Brockton/x 12th Street. Subjects are now in the location looking for a female inside the residence. The suspects are a black male and a white male. White male is named Adam, about 5’10 and wearing a black baseball cap. One suspect has a “red flag” on him for possible mental problems. This is right down the street literally from our pad, which warrants further (and hopefully not dangerous) investigation.
- Transient set his shopping cart on fire on Mission Inn Ave. and is threatening to commit suicide. Called in by a passerby, states police/fire needed at scene.
Video: Riverside Chief Leach drank before crash
Video courtesy of ABC7
Vodpod videos no longer available.
This Just In: Club 215 Investigation Continues
ABC 7 news crew parked outside of Club 215. Riverside Police at Kaiser Hospital 24 hour pharmacy.
Nothing else. You may go.
It Just Gets Worse: Riverside police chief had visited strip club prior to wreck
Prior to wrecking his city issued vehicle, ex Riverside police chief Russ Leach spent several hours drinking at…
Club 215!
Seriously, of all places. I’ve spent a couple hours there myself – after work happy hours and all – but I’ve never driven off in my government paid for ride – a fly ride at that – mixing my booze, scantily clad honeys and prescription pills that culminated in one effed up vehicle.
Club 215. I kind of don’t blame him – well, yes I do – because how many times have YOU taken a peek at the building to see who was hanging out on the balcony having a cigarette in lingerie. Admit it. You know you do.
Wow.
Overheard on the Riverside City Scanner 2.16.10
If you have some extra time and are curious about what happens in your neighborhood, check out Scan Riverside.
- Felony stop at Olivewood and Boxwood. Right in the midst of my old neighborhood, coincidentally or not right at the yellow house on the street we used to live on.
- Incident at the Riverside Neighborhood Clinic on Indiana.
Overheard on the Riverside City Scanner 2.15.10
Overheard on the Scan Riverside: Scan Frequencies:
- Unregistered Caddy on 10th Street downtown.
- Structure fire (lots of emergency vehicles en route so it must be pretty blazin’) – 7149 Bradford/x Alabama. RP called back to state he put the fire out. Good job.
- Heavy flooding at Colony Pl.
- Injury accident at Van Buren and Doolittle, involving a motorcycle.
- Streeter and the RR tracks – objects in the road
- Near the McD’s on Uni and Franklin – white female trying to leave a SUV, with two black males forcing her to remain inside the vehicle.
- 4747 Jurupa – patient complaining of insomnia and stomach pain (???)
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